Effect of pressure on the luminescence properties of Nd3+ doped SrWO4 laser crystal

Abstract: The luminescence spectra of the 4F3/2 → 4I9/2 transition of Nd3+ ions in a SrWO4 crystal have been analyzed as a function of pressure at room temperature. Experiments have been performed in a diamond-anvil cell up to 13GPa. At around 10GPa some changes in the emission spectra have been observed which are attributed to a structural phase transition of the SrWO4 matrix. These results are in good agreement with a previous paper, in which in a pure SrWO4 matrix a scheelite to fergusonite phase transition is found around 10.5GPa. Moreover, with increasing pressure, the decay curves from the 4F3/2 are nonexponential and faster indicating that the energy transfer processes between Nd3+ ions are important. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]